Muskoka Lakes councilors don’t want to see more floating accommodations in the Township and they’ve sent their concerns to the Government of Ontario.
During the latest Muskoka Lakes Planning Committee meeting, Muskoka Lakes councillors voted to send a message to the Ministry of Northern Development, Mines Natural Resources and Forestry asking that floating accommodations be prohibited across the province.
The move comes in response to a request from the Ministry sent in March looking for engagement from municipalities on the subject.
The Ministry’s says there has been increased use of public waterways by floating accommodations, or what they term “camping”. The Ministry says the “camping” typically involves watercraft equipped for overnight accommodation, and in some cases vessels that are primarily designed for accommodation and not navigation.
Muskoka Lakes staff told councillors that “camping” doesn’t appear to be an overly common practice in the Township or a very pressing concern right now. However, staff also said they have heard some concerns from waterfront property owners who might take issue with property owners using a houseboat or some other kind of floating accommodation in the waterway on which their recreational properties face. Staff said the concerns are typically related to navigation, negative impact on waterfront views and character, and potential environmental impacts from a sewage spill.
Staff said they share those concerns, and recommended that floating accommodations be prohibited. The committee agreed and the input was sent to the Ministry.
The Ministry is also seeking input from the public, who can do so by emailing comments to public.lands@ontario.ca by April 19th, 2022.
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